Bike Thief, Rare Monk, Sama Dams

[SOARING, SWIRLING INDIE] How many musicians does it take to steal a bike? A core team of five with numerous accomplices, as the swelling live lineup of the Portland group with the same name suggests. Really lame jokes aside, we’re impressed by Bike Thief’s ability to harness the elements and produce methodized, sophisticated chamber pop amid such a swirl of violin, horns and keyboards. It recalls Arcade Fire, and founder, frontman and lead vocalist Febian Perez has a Jeff Buckley thing going on with his haunting bellows.